Fernanda Pivano, the great Italian translator of Hemingway, Faulkner and Francis Scott Fitzgerald once wrote: "the most beautiful sea is the one you see behind the dark leaves".   In one sentence, all the poetry of this land, Liguria, where the green Apennines Mountains tumble into the crystal-clear blue Mediterranean Sea.  Vineyards perched on sea-cascading lands, rolling terraces of silver-leafed olives, fragrant forests of parasol pines ... all conjure to make you fall in love with this part of Italy. Small wonder it inspired so many romantic poets from Shelley to Byron. 

Scents, fragrances, aromas: basil, rosemary, sage, juniper, citrus, olives .... and the extra virgin olive oil, soft and fruity as no other: Ligurian cuisine is wonderfully fresh and perfumed: seafood, linguine or trofie with pesto, chickpea floor farinata, Recco focaccia dressed with fresh cheese or just plain, with olive oil and rosemary, are but some of its savouries in store for you. Don't forget to toast with a glass of Schiacchetrà. Alla salute!